Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens of Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships, Part 50

Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar
Number of Pages: 946

USA > Iowa > Page County > Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens of Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships > Part 50

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

James M. is the seventh of a family of five boys and five girls. Two of the brothers served in the Union army during the dark days of tlie civil war. George W. was killed at Marks Mills, Arkansas, in 1864, aged eighteen years; William F. enlisted in a Mis- sonri regiment and was honorably discharged; he is now a well-to-do farmer of Washington Township, Page County. Our subject liad bnt a limited education, a disadvantage which many sons of pioneers suffered.

Mr. Gibson was united in marriage Febru-

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

ary 21, 1878, at College Springs, Iowa, to Miss Amanda Elgin, the daughter of James and Eliza (Calhoun) Elgin. She was born April 10, 1851. Her father was a native of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and was a farmer by occupation. He died December 29, 1882, aged seventy-eight years; the mother is a na- tive of Ireland, coming to America when a child six years old. Mr. and Mrs. Elgin reared a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. They removed to Page County, Iowa, in the spring of 1867, and were among the second band of pioneers in Amity Township.

Mr. and Mrs. Gibson are the parents of four children: Lois E., Lee O., Elmer M. and Earl J. The father, mother, and eldest child are acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Blanchard. Mr. Gibson has held the office of trustee, steward, and Sunday-school superintendent; he is an active, loyal, Christian worker, and with his estimna- ble wife is rearing his family in paths of rec- titude and right. Politically he is a stanch supporter of the Republican party. While never aspiring to public office he has held some of the offices.

After his marriage in 1878 he moved to land purchased in 1874, on section 30, Colfax Township, where he still resides. At first he bought 120 acres, paying $10 per acre; in 1882 he purchased an additional forty acres, for which he paid .$30 per acre, three times as much as he paid eight years before. His present farm consists of a quarter section of well improved land; it is perhaps the only farm in Page County one mile long by a quarter ot a mile wide. Mr. and Mrs. Gib- son had brave hearts and strong constitutions to undergo all the hardships incident to the opening of a prairie farm, away from fuel and railroads.

In the summer of 1875, before his mar-

riage, Mr. Gibson had his crops destroyed by the grasshoppers, and in 1883, during the July 13th storm, memorable through this section of Iowa, he had one of his farm resi- dences blown to pieces and all of his fine, growing crops destroyed. But with a firm determination to win, and a strong arm, he kept at work, and is to-day surrounded by many of the comforts of life. He has a good home near the town of Blanchard, and a fine tract of land near churches, schools and markets.

Mr. and Mrs. Gibson, by their correct, Christian example, have won a large circle of friends, who prize them for their inany noble traits of character.

ANTHONY LORANZ, who was up to the time of his death a central figure among the hardy band of Page County pioneers, aud had a part in the earlier as well as later development of what has come to be one of Iowa's choicest sections, may very appropriately find place in the biographi- cal history of the county in which he spent so many years, was so actively engaged in various capacities, and ever bore the respect of all within the range of his extended acquaintance. He was born in the province of Baden, near Baden Baden, Germany, Oc- tober 29, 1810. He was educated for a Catholic priest, but in 1831 he accompanied his parents and younger brothers to America, landing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The parents died in that city the following year of that mnost fatal disease, cholera. His brother, Michael, was killed in the Canadian- British trouble. He worked in and near Philadelphia as laborer and teamster until 1837, when he went to New York. where he was engaged on the Erie Canal. In 1839 lie

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

went to Chicago, Illinois, and thence to Ful- ton Connty, Illinois, where he resided until 1858.

In March, 1842, Mr. Loranz was married to Barbara Bolender, and to them were born seven children: Henry, Catherine, Alice, Mary, Raymond, Joseph and Sarah. Alice died in infancy, and Catherine when thirteen years old; Henry, Raymond, and Mary, wife of Dr. John P. Brown, now reside at Cla- rinda, while Joseph lives at Alco, Alabama. Sarahı, the wife of James E. Wise, lives near Villisca, Page County.

After his marriage Mr. Loranz purchased eighty acres of timber land in Fulton County, Illinois. In March, 1858, he sold his farm and removed to Page County, Iowa. The family came to Clarinda in September of that year and were among the pioneers of this flourishing city. Mr. Loranz embarked in generał merchandising, which he continued until the beginning of the Rebellion; he then sold out, intending to enlist in the Union ranks in defense of his adopted country. But physically he was found to be unable for the hardships of army life and at once engaged in the recruiting service, being commissioned by Governor Kirkwood. He was an ardent Union man as well as an active Republican. At the close of that terrible conflict, in com- pany with his son, Henry, he engaged in business again at Clarinda, the style of the firm being A. & H. Loranz. They continued in business until 1869, when through a train of disasters they failed. Mr. Loranz, how- ever, refused to take advantage of the laws of bankruptcy, and finally every creditor was paid the full amount of his claim with inter- est. Under General U. S. Grant's administra- tion as President he was appointed Postmaster of Clarinda, which office he held to the date of his death in 1881. His wife died Febrn- ary 12, 1868; she was mourned by the entire

community ; perhaps no woman ever lived in Clarinda who was so universally respected for qualities of mind and heart as she. She was buried in the beantifnl cemetery at Clarinda beside her daughter. Her husband erected to her memory a plain, marble slab, with this inscription : "She was, but words are wanting to tell what. Think what a wite should be, and she was that."

In April, 1869, Mr. Loranz married Mrs. Sarah Burtchi, of Bellville, Nebraska, and at once brought her to Clarinda with her two children, Mary, the wife of Hon. T. E. Clark, and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Howard. Mr. Loranz lived happily with his second wife the remainder of his days. She still resides in Clarinda.

Our esteemed subject united with the Presbyterian Church in Lewistown, Fulton County, Illinois, in 1842, and continued a devout follower of the faith throughout the remainder of his earthly pilgrimage. His entire family were members of that churchi. It may here be stated that through his efforts and liberality the Presbyterian church of Clarinda was built in 1860; the bell which still calls the worshipers together he freighted overland from Fulton County, Illinois. He was a member of Nodaway Lodge, No. 140, A. F. and A. M., and of Clarinda Chapter, No. 29, R. A. M.

-- AHLON C. JOHNSON was born at Wattsburglı, Erie County, Pennsyl- vania, April 13, 1845, and is a son of James P. and Margaret R. (Rouse) Johnson. His maternal grandfather, Judge Casper M. Ronse, was a soldier in the war of 1812. When he was five years old his parents removed from his native county to Winnebago County, Illi- nois, embarking at Erie, Pennsylvania, and

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

inaking the journey to Chicago by the way of the lakes; thence they proceeded to Rockford, Illinois, and resided there until their removal to Belvidere, Illinois, in 1851. In 1857 they went to Sycamore, and at the end of one year they came to College Springs, Page County, Iowa. The father purchased a farin, but lo- cated in the town on account of the school privileges of which he wished his children to avail themselves.

June 15, 1861, at the age of sixteen years, our subject responded to the call for men to go to the defense of this nation, enlisting in Company F, First Nebraska Volunteers; this company was organized for the Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, but that being full it was mustered into the First Nebraska Infan- try at Omaha. There they remained two months and were then sent to Pilot Knob, Missouri. In their first skirmish 1,300 pris- oners were captured. Mr. Johnson was in the hottest of the three-days fight at Fort Donelson, and also participated in the battle of Shiloh and the siege of Corinth; also, in numerous other battles in which his regi- ment was engaged. He re-enlisted in June, 1864, at Duval's Bluff, and in 1865 his regi- ment was sent on the plains to guard the frontier from the depredations of Indians. He was innstered out of the service at Oma- ha, in May, 1866. He then returned to Page County and engaged in farming for four years, but was obliged to relinquish this occupation on account of ill-health, which was brought on by exposure during his service in the army. He then embarked in the hardware trade at College Springs, and for two years was Postmaster of that place. Afterward he was engaged in buying and selling live- stock until 1879, when he was elected Sheriff of Page County on the Republican ticket. The people of the county attested their appre- ciation of his ability and faithfulness by re-

electing him the two following terms to the same office. He has always been an active worker in the Republican ranks,and is a stanch advocate of the issues of the party. After tlie expiration of his last term of office he was em- ployed as traveling salesman for a St. Joseph, . Missouri, firm. In December,1889, he formed a partnership with John Calhoun, one of the pioneer merchants of Clarinda, in the general inercantile business. He has had a very suc- cessful business career, and although his early education was much neglected and was still unfinished at the breaking ont of the war, by diligent study and close application he was able to fit himself for positions of trust and responsibility.

Mr. Johnson was united in marriage March 7, 1867, to Miss R. Jennie Skinner, a native of Guernsey County, Ohio, and a daughter of Charles V. and Julia A. (Toombs) Skinner. Three children have been born to this union: Minnie M., Charles J. and Dee W. The parents are worthy members of the Presby- terian Church.

Mr. Johnson was a member of Lincoln Post No. 1, G. A. R., and an honorary mem- ber of the celebrated Flambean Club, of To- peka, Kansas. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Clarinda Lodge, No. 139, and to Warren Post, No. 11, G. A. R. He is at the present time quite an invalid (and is grow- ing feebler) the direct results of hard service and disease contracted by incident exposure while in the service.

OHN CALHOON, a man highly .es- teemed in the business circles of Page County, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, Apil 12, 1827, and is the son of George and Jane (Kerr) Calhoon, natives of the State of Pennsylvania. The father was of Scotch-

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

Irish descent, and was a pioneer settler of Holmes County, Ohio; he located there at a very early day on a tract of heavily timbered land near Millersburgh; there John spent his youth assisting his father in clearing the land and placing it under cultivation. He received a limited education in the subscription schools at that time, but this supplemented with a keen observation has enabled him to fill suc- cessfully any position to which he has been called.

Mr. Calhoon was married April 4, 1855, to Miss C. N. Storm, a daughter of Jacob Storm. Four children have been born of this union: Gilbert S., a resident ot Northfield, Minne- sota; Ada E. Holmes, of Kansas City; Laura L. McGuire, of Northfield, Minnesota, and C. D., now clerking in his father's store.

In . February, 1857, we find our subject pushing his way to the West; he came by railroad to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and tlience by stage to Van Buren County, where he pur- chased an ox team and proceeded to Page County; here he pre-empted a quarter section of land upon which he built a log cabin. The hardships and privations of pioneer life ex- isted here as elsewhere and hearts less stout would have been discouraged. He at once eagaged in the cultivation of the soil and also did hauling from St. Joe to Clarinda. In 1862 he came to Clarinda and engaged in teaming. It was at this time that the dark- est days began to dawn; he lost several valu- able horses, and in hope of changing his luck he invested in a mule; he afterward sold this animal to the Government for $100, and with this capital he embarked in the mercantile business; it was a small amount, but combined with pluck and energy it was the beginning of what in after years was a competency. He formed a partnership with T. J. Bracken, which continued four years, and then he pur- chased the interest of Mr. Bracken and con-

tinned the business at the old stand for about eleven years, at which time he sold out and took a rest from active business for about ten years. December 1, 1889, he formed a part- nership with M. C. Johnson, under the firm name of Calhoon & Johnson; they carry a fine stock of general merchandise and occupy one of the finest business blocks in the town; it was designed by Mr. Calhoon, and is es- pecially adapted to the business. He also owns several dwelling-houses in Clarinda, which he rents, and a large business house in Braddyville; he is the proprietor of one of the finest farms in Gage County, Nebraska; it consists of 200 acres of excellent soil and has many valuable improvements.

At the organization of the Iowa State Bank of Clarinda he was made president, and filled this responsible position for some time. Po- litically he is identified with the Republican party. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 109.

Mr. Calhoon's life furnishes a fair example of what a man can accomplish if he has tact, energy and perseverance, even though his means be limited; he has accumulated a com- fortable fortune, and an honorable standing among his fellow men is accorded him by all with whom he has dealings.

R. A. H. FARRENS moved from Fair- field County, Ohio, in the spring of 1848, locating in Nodaway County, Missouri, twelve miles south of Clarinda, and lived there one year. Then he moved near Boler's Mill, in 1849; pre-empted a home- stead in 1852; entered Government land in 1854-'55, and during the last mentioned year bought four lots at the southwest corner of the public square, and in the following year erected a house, which is still standing.

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

He located in Clarinda May 7, 1857, being the first physician and surgeon to practice his profession in Page County, where he contin- ued for a period of ten years. Was a gradu- ate of Cincinnati (Ohio) Medical College. He died in Clarinda April 17, 1859, at the age of thirty-nine years, nine months and twenty- nine days. His widow is still living. They were the parents of four children: the eldest son died in infancy; two are fariners, one in East River Township, and the other in Noda- way County, Missonri.

Dr. E. T. Farrens, of whom this notice is written, is the second son of Dr. A. H. Far- rens. He was born in Nodaway Township, September 19, 1855, and moved with · his parents to Clarinda, Iowa, in 1857, where he has grown to manhood and is now engaged in the practice of his profession. He began the study of medicine January 1, 1877, under the tutorship of Drs. Enfield and Vance. Attended lectures at the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and was graduated there in 1881. Immediately after this event Dr. Farrens returned to the home of his youth, and began the practice of medicine. He is a member of the Masonic anda Odd Fellows lodges.

Dr. Farrens was united in marriage No- vember 29, 1883, to Miss Lida Pond, a daughter of W. H. Pond, of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. One child has blessed this union, Paul Pond, born August 26, 1888.

C. RIDENOUR, present proprietor of the Hotel Linderman at Clarinda, has been a resident of Page County since the autumn of 1856. Having been an active business man, engaged in journalistic and mercantile pursuits, he is thoroughly known in this section of Iowa. He is entitled to a

space in this work if for no other reason than this, that he was a loyal soldier in the Union army, wearing the blue at a time when trait- orous hands assailed the flag of our country.

Mr. Ridenour was born in Campbell Coun- ty, Tennessee, July 13, 1836. His parents were Alexander T. and Sarah T. (Loy) Ride- nour, natives of Tennessee. His grandfather Ridenour was a native of Maryland, and his grandfather Loy of North Carolina. Both pareuts died during Mr. Ridenour's childhood and he was early thrown upon his own re- sources with but limited ineans of acquiring an education. In the month of September, 1855, he weut in company with others to De Kalb County, Missouri, where he remained until the fall of 1856; he then came to Page County, Iowa, making the journey on foot via Savannah and Hawleyville to Clarinda. In April, 1857, lie engaged as a clerk in the drug store of Dr. S. H. Kriddlebaugh, who was also postmaster of Clarinda. After a short period he carried the mail on the routes from Clarinda to Sidney, Quincy and Mary- ville. In 1859 he went to work at the car- penter's trade with Mr. Keys and later was employed with Osgood & Kimball. He was next engaged as a salesman in the dry-goods store of John Wilson at Clarinda, with whom he remained until April, 1860. He then took a trip overland with ox teams to Pike's Peak and Denver in the midst of the gold excitement. He returned, however, in Sep- tember, no richer, but much better posted in regard to that beautifully picturesque coun - try. Upon his return to Clarinda lie again engaged as salesman with John Wilson. In March, 1861, he began operating a grocery store on his own acconnt, in which he con- tinned until the following Jannary. In Feb- ruary, 1862, he went to work for Mr. Wilson again, this time at St. Joseph, Missouri. He remained there until July 4, 1862, and upon

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

learning of an order from the Governor of Missouri to the effect that all subject to mili- tary duty were expected to become members of the militia of that State, he preferred to re turn to Clarinda and enlist, which he did at once; he also assisted in raising Company F, Twenty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, of which he was made Second Sergeant at Des Moines. From that city they went to St. Louis via Keokuk. They next went to Iron Mountain, Missouri, and thence to Patterson, Missouri. December 20 they broke camp, and January 11 went to West Plains, Mis- souri, where they arrived after much difficulty occasioned by heavy rains, snow and cold weather. They returned to Pilot Knob in February, 1863, remaining there until March, when they started for St. Genevieve and fromn that place they went to New Madrid. They soon embarked for Milliken's Bend, Louisi -. ana. On April 11 they broke camp for Grand Gulf via Richmond (Louisiana) and witnessed the noted bombardment there. The next morn- ing they crossed the Mississippi River below Grand Gulf landing at Brunesberg, and con- tinued their inarch until after midnight, when the advance was fired upon by the enemy's pickets, near Port Gibson. At eight o'clock A. M., May 1, the regiment was ordered to advance and charge down a hill on the enemy, who where partly concealed in a dense cane- brake. Into this the brave men went with fixed bayonets and drove out the force. They were under fire until three P. M., when they mnade another charge and drove them back in such confusion that another stand could not be made that day. The regiment was in fight at Raymond and Jackson the first time. They were held in reserve at Champion Hill until after noon, when they were deployed as skir- mishers. May 17 the regiment started for Black River Bridge, where the enemy had a line of entrenchnents three miles long with

a deep bayou in front. Here they distin- guished themselves by charging the enemy's works and taking 2,500 prisoners. This was only brought about the heavy loss of troops, 134 men being killed and wounded. The regiment was then detailed to guard prisoners to Memphis, and on their return were stopped at Milliken's Bend to defend that point; they were attacked by 2,500 Texans and had one of the most severe strug- gles of the Rebellion, the regiment losing one-half of its engaged mien. On June 20, they returned to the rear of Vicksburg and remained in the trenches until the surrender. July 5, they started in pursuit of General Johnson, and captured Jackson, Mississippi, driving the enemy across the Pearl River. The excessive heat and arduons duties told heavily upon the Twenty-third Iowa, and upon their return to Vicksburg only 120 men were ready for duty. In August the regiment was transferred to the Department of the Gulf and sent to New Orleans. They went west to Brashier City, at the month of the Lesbe, and marched up to near Opelousas, Texas, and returned to the place of starting. They embarked at New Orleans and crossed the Gulf, landing on Matagorda Island, and had a fight and captured the fort. The bal- ance of the winter was spent at Indianola. In April they returned to New Orleans and went up the river, met the Banks expedition, and they were in the engagement at Fort Esperanza, and established a post at St. Charles, Arkansas; were also in siege at Forts Spanish and Blakely, near Mobile,

During all these various changes from one section of the conntry to another, Mr. Ridenour saw his share of hardship and fight. ing. He started from Clarinda a private; at Des Moines he was made Second Sergeant, and in June, 1863, he was promoted to the position of Second Lieutenant, and was after-

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

ward commissioned First Lieutenant. In November, 1864, he was detailed as General Inspector, under General J. C. Black; he was afterwards made Aide-de-camp nnder Brevet- General Glasgow. The regiment was mus- tered out Angust 5, 1865, near Houston, Texas, and disbanded at Davenport, Iowa, Mr. Ridenour arriving in Clarinda August 26, 1865.

The next four years of his life he spent as a clerk for Dr. Conine in his drug store. In the fall of 1868 he began editing the Page County Democrat, the only Democratic sheet Page County has ever had. He conducted this journal in a fearless, progressive, and able manner. In 1874 he was Sergeant-at- Arıns in the Iowa Legislature, and the next year he was a candidate for Register of the Land Office upon the Democratic ticket. April 1, 1885, he was appointed Postmaster at Clarinda nnder President Cleveland, being the second appointment in the State, and serv- ing until May 1, 1889. The following au- tumn he became proprietor of the Hotel Lin- derinan. In politics he has been a life-long Democrat. As a vindicator of Democratic principles and a clear writer on the vexed question of " free trade," tariff for revenue only, he has but few equals in the State, and when editing the Democrut he was a terror to " protectionists " everywhere. He had the honor to be appointed a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1872, and an alternate of that body in 1876. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity at Clarinda, belonging to the blue lodge and chapter. He always labored for the public good of Page County, and has lived to see most of the objects for which he labored ac- complished.

The peculiar traits of Mr. Ridenour's character are activity, aggressiveness, fidelity, and generous kindness: hence his many ad-

inirers. He was united in marriage March 25, 1866, to Miss Lizzie T. Smith, a daughter of T. P. and Sarah (Jones) Sinith. The father was a native of Maryland and the mother was born in Kentucky; both are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Ridenonr are the parents of two children: Eva F. was born September 15, 1868, and is the wife of George T. Greeley of Nashua, Iowa; Clyde C. was born June 17, 1870.

L. LUNDY, a leading drnggist of Clarinda, is one of Page County's representative inen. He was born in Putnam County, Illinois, March 3, 1856. His father, B. C. Lundy, was the leading physician of Putnam County and was an act- ive political leader during his lifetime. He was an intimate friend of Abraham Lincoln, as letters from Mr. Lincoln now in possession of Mr. Lundy will show. He was appointed Indian agent in the Lake Superior region un- der Lincoln's administration. He was also a member of the Illinois Legislature. Ben- jamin Lundy, grandfather of our subject, was a prominent Abolitionist and was an intimate friend and partner of Williamn Lloyd Garri- son; they edited a paper at. Philadelphia for several years. Mr. Lundy's mother was a native of Ohio, and her maiden name was Kate Haines.

W. L. Lnndy was reared and educated in Putnam County, Illinois; he engaged as clerk in a drug store at Lacon, Illinois; in 1875, one year later, he went to Henry, Illinois, and was employed in a drug store for four years. It was in 1880 that he came to Clarinda and accepted a position in the drug house of F. W. Parish, where he remained six years. In 1886 he bonght the stock of Mr. Parish, and has conducted the business in the same store-

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Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar Number of Pages: 946

Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar
Number of Pages: 946